Congress relied on weak internal reports, with analysts criticizing their superficial data and lack of depth, impacting election strategy.
New Delhi: The Congress party suffered a historic defeat in the Maharashtra assembly elections, securing only 17 seats—the lowest tally in its history. Party leaders attributed the loss to delayed ticket distribution, lack of street-level politics, weak narrative cohesion, and poor internal assessments. Of the 288 seats in the state, Congress contested around 100 but failed to make a significant impact.
In rural Maharashtra, which accounts for 173 seats, the NDA won around 140 seats, leaving just 28 for the I.N.D.I. Alliance and five for others. In the 115 urban seats, the BJP swept 88 constituencies, further underscoring the Congress party’s struggle in both urban and rural areas.
A major issue highlighted by sources is Congress’s reliance on weak internal reports. A political analyst who worked with Congress strategist Sunil Konugolu during the Karnataka elections noted that internal assessments lacked depth. Konugolu was also tasked with Maharashtra, but the reports, according to the analyst, often relied on superficial data.
“When the assembly-level reports would go through us, we could easily tell how superficial they were. The information was often accessible online or fabricated through basic research. First-hand, on-ground research is missing. A political analyst working on the ground would be far more accurate than these reports,” the analyst said. He further explained that the reports failed to guide top leaders effectively, rendering them inconsequential. “Perhaps the collective assembly-level reports sent to the high command are better,” he added.
A party insider criticized the Congress’s lack of a solid hierarchy and organizational discipline. “We don’t know how Congress operates during elections. Does it work to counter people or win elections? It’s a massive party with capable leaders, but it seems lost during elections,” the insider said. Comparing Congress to the BJP, he remarked, “When Narendra Modi changes his profile picture, everyone in the BJP follows suit. That’s an example of robust functioning. But when Rahul Gandhi does something, not everyone picks up the narrative. Different power centers lead in their own way.”
Political analysts pointed to Congress’s reliance on its alliance partners, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, both of which were weakened by splits. The Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar drained cadres and leaders from their original parties, leaving both significantly weakened.
While the Shiv Sena and NCP had benefited from sympathy votes during the Lok Sabha elections, Congress appeared to rely on their performance rather than preparing independently for the assembly elections. “The downfall of Congress in the state shows a lack of preparation.
The party depended on regional partners and failed to engage sincerely on the ground. This inability to gauge accurate feedback highlights their flawed leadership,” a political analyst noted.
The dismal performance in Maharashtra underscores deep-rooted issues within Congress, from weak organizational discipline to an inability to connect with grassroots voters. With its lowest-ever tally, the party faces a critical challenge to restructure its strategy and regain relevance in one of India’s most politically significant states.